The objects collected here reflect the experience of growing up as part of a family. Central to the stories are intense emotions that arise when those with shared interests are living in close quarters. Where relationships became strained, or loved ones have been lost, the keepers of these objects are left with bittersweet memories.
Love In Deed
Experiencing love – that intense feeling of deep affection – is a wonderful sensation. When we are children, the love of our caretakers manifests in everyday acts of gentleness, sacrifice, and compassion. With a bit of luck, these moments of love are caught in action. The objects grouped here help their keepers to reflect back on the adoration and generosity that can make childhood a magical time.
Contributions by: Linda de Anda, Ashley Vargas, Kenneth Shultz, Wendy Lee, and Amy Gusick
Sense & Sentiment
Sometimes our memories of growing up are not of specific places, people, or events. They are, instead, a collection of colors, smells, and sensations. The objects grouped here evoke for their keepers sensations like warmth, comfort, adoration, and joy. These feeling relate to feeling safe, secure, special, and unconditionally loved as a child.
Contributions by: Nadine Chaney, Robert Michael Gonzalez, M. Jean Peacock, Sally Rivera, and Theresa Shellcroft
Bonded
An accident of birth makes us siblings. It is through the relationships that we build thereafter that we become sisters and brothers. Growing up alongside someone can make you their best friend, or their worst rival. Either way, brothers and sisters are often the ones that push us to become more. They are among our most important teachers about the nature of relationships. The objects grouped here each reflect these bonds of sisterhood.
Contributions by: Jessiza Lopez, Kristina Simon, Norma Gutierrez, and Margaret Hill
Select stories are available online now. Additional stories will be made available after the exhibition closes in March 2017.